2006 Adult Asthma Data: Technical Information

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) - 2006

BRFSS Survey

In 2006, the BRFSS survey was conducted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and in three US territories (Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands). In each area where interviews are conducted, respondents are randomly selected from noninstitutionalized civilian adults (18 years of age or older) living in households with a telephone. Asthma prevalence data are produced from the responses to two asthma questions on the year 2006 BRFSS Core Questionnaire. In each area where interviews are conducted, respondents are randomly selected from noninstitutionalized civilian adults (18 years of age or older) living in households with a telephone. Asthma prevalence data are produced from the responses to two asthma questions on the year 2006 BRFSS Core Questionnaire.

Lifetime asthma: Question number 8.1

Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional that you had asthma? (variable name: ASTHMA2)

The calculated variable _LTASTHMA (based on question 8.1) from the BRFSS public use file was used when creating the tables.

Current asthma: Question number 8.2

If the response to 8.1 was Yes, then question 8.2 was asked: Do you still have asthma? (variable name: ASTHNOW)

The calculated variable _CASTHMA (based on questions 8.1 and 8.2) from the public use file was used when creating the tables.

Data Analysis

Data Used:

The BRFSS 2006 Survey Data file was used to calculate estimates for all states.

Number of people affected was estimated by multiplying the prevalence rate against the US or New York State population in that particular subgroup.

Data Management:

Only respondents with values of the variables as described in the table above are included in each prevalence table. Responses of "don't know/not sure," "refused," or missing values were excluded.

Confidence Intervals:

The 95% Confidence Intervals(CI) were calculated using the following formula:

Lower 95% Confidence Interval = % prevalence – t(sep)

Upper 95% Confidence Interval = % prevalence + t(sep)

Where sep is the standard error of the prevalence percent and t equals the z distribution value of 1.96 for state level prevalence in the Table titled "Overall Adult Asthma Prevalence in The US and New York State - 2006 BRFSS". For other tables with smaller sample sizes due to the use of demographic subcategories, the exact value from the t distribution appropriate to the sample size for the percent prevalence was used instead of the approximate z-value of 1.96. Because of the use of the more exact t-value, 95% Confidence Intervals in the tables may differ slightly from those presented in other representations of these data.

Subgroup tables are based on data analyzed by the following variables:

Small Sample Size Assumptions

When sample sizes in cells are less than 50, as they are in some of the subgroup tables, the standard error may be large relative to the prevalence value, leading to a wide 95% confidence interval. Caution should be used in interpreting such "imprecise" estimates of prevalence.